CHRISTMAS DAY is a time for family, eating, drinking, opening presents and falling asleep in front of the TV at around 6pm.
It’s not usually a day for live sport – that’s Boxing Day. Well, in this country at least.
But it’s different across the pond, where the NBA has played Christmas Day games since 1947.
For basketball fans, it’s as much a part of Christmas Day fabric as turkey, brandy butter and the inevitable Lynx box set.
December 25 will see around TWELVE hours of NBA action back-to-back on Sky Sports.
If you’ve got no interest in the Gavin & Stacey special or who gets killed off in Albert Square, the NBA will provide that bit of live sport not on anywhere else.
Some of the league’s biggest stars will be in action, with LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo (both pictured) Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Joel Embiid and among those in action.
Los Angeles Clippers star George said: “Any time playing on Christmas is a special honour. Being able to stay home is special honour.
“Then just getting to enjoy it with family, I think, kind of wraps up the whole thing as just being amazing.”
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton added: “Playing on Christmas is always special. Every player wants to be on that Christmas Day game.
“It’s one of the best days to play, when everybody is watching on national TV on a holiday.
“We all used to watch the games growing up as kids during the holiday season, so it’s pretty cool.
“It’s a special game to play on that day.”
